WOHS advances to regional final

White Oak’s Joy Freeman, left, and Chasity Barbour, right, battle with Jacksonville’s Karley Holland for the ball during the Vikings’ 1-0 (4-3 penalty kicks) win over the Cardinals on Friday in the NCHSAA 3-A East Regional semifinals.

Chuck Beckley/The Daily News

By Chris Miller-Prep Sports Writer

Published: Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 10:30 AM.

White Oak’s two goalkeepers had a huge hand and foot in the Vikings’ advancing past rival Jacksonville in a penalty kick shootout Friday night.

“They make a great combination,” said White Oak coach Buddy Carroll of the two players who have taken turns this season playing in the goal. “They are both tremendous competitors.”

And as a result of the win, the defending state champions advance to the regional final for the ninth time in 11 years. The Vikings (20-4) will travel to Cardinal Gibbons (20-2-1) on Wednesday. Cardinal Gibbons beat Northern Guilford 3-1 on Friday.

Jacksonville, which was hoping to advance to the regional final for the third time since 2010, finishes 19-4-2.

“It’s a tough way to lose,” coach Dave Miller said. “We just couldn’t find the net tonight. We had numerous opportunities and Alexis came up huge for them in goal.”

Jones especially was big in the penalty kick session. So was Helms, who overcame a late second-half head injury — she collided with Jacksonville’s Cassie Padilla — to score the winning PK.

“They make a great combination,” said White Oak coach Buddy Carroll of the two players who have taken turns this season playing in the goal. “They are both tremendous competitors.”

And as a result of the win, the defending state champions advance to the regional final for the ninth time in 11 years. The Vikings (20-4) will travel to Cardinal Gibbons (20-2-1) on Wednesday. Cardinal Gibbons beat Northern Guilford 3-1 on Friday.

Jacksonville, which was hoping to advance to the regional final for the third time since 2010, finishes 19-4-2.

“It’s a tough way to lose,” coach Dave Miller said. “We just couldn’t find the net tonight. We had numerous opportunities and Alexis came up huge for them in goal.”

Jones especially was big in the penalty kick session. So was Helms, who overcame a late second-half head injury — she collided with Jacksonville’s Cassie Padilla — to score the winning PK.

The overtime was tied 3-3 when Helms, a sophomore, kicked the ball with her right foot and sent the ball into the left part of the goal.

“I was nervous,” Helms said. “I didn’t know which way to go to be honest. We’ve been practicing PKs lately. I didn’t look at the keeper. I just went with my gut and just kicked it.”

Moments before Helms’ goal, Jones made the second of two saves in PKs. The junior’s second save came after she went to her right side to get her body in front of the ball and save it with her hands.

“Before I was just thinking I got to do everything I can to make this save,” Jones said. “I just tried to read what she was going to do and kind of based it off that. Afterwards, I was just so happy to come up with the ball.”

Jones had made a save on the Cardinals’ first PK to give the Vikings the edge, but Jacksonville senior goalie Krysten Stenclik made a save later in PKs to even the score.

“Alexis is our hero tonight,” Helms said. “She saves us four, five times. I play with her in club season and I just look up to her as a goalkeeper. She’s awesome and I love her.”

The game would likely not have extended into PKs if not for Jones’ save on a 1v1 with three minutes left in the first 5-minute sudden-death overtime.

Jacksonville’s Stacey Scott got behind the Vikings’ defense and appeared headed for a goal, but her shot was blocked by Jones at the last second.

“She just came running,” Jones said. “I was waiting for her to make a bad touch and then I would go out and get the ball.”

Perhaps Jones’ save there gave the Vikings more confidence. Carroll was certainly feeling good.

“We train at the beginning of the year for us to be able to go extra time,” he said. “The adrenaline rush got into them and they kept working.”

But while the events in PKs and in the 30 minutes of overtime stood out in White Oak’s win, the Vikings and Cardinals extended the game past regulation thanks to solid defense.

Jacksonville had more scoring chances in 80 minutes of regulation, but White Oak used a bend-but-don’t-break defense to prevent the Cardinals from scoring.

It was a similar approach the Vikings took in their 1-0 win over JHS earlier this season. The Cardinals won the second match 2-0 to win the Coastal Conference title, relegating White Oak to second place.

“They attacked us both times we played them on the edges a lot,” Carroll said. “Today, we just really wanted to slow them down and make them have to do something a little different. Rachel Krueger did a great job back there, Della Futral was humongous and Joy Freeman did a great job. Speed-wise, we can match them and I feel like we can stop anybody.”

And of course Jones, who finished with nine saves.

Stenclik ended with five saves. She managed to get on the ball inside the 6-yard box during the last minute of sudden-death OT following a WOHS corner kick to prevent a goal.

Jacksonville allowed just five shots with most of them coming from outside the 18.

Given his team’s defense, Miller could only ponder what might have been if the Cardinals found the net.

“It put more pressure on ourselves,” he said. “It kind of showed there late. We had chances. We just couldn’t tuck one home.”

And in the end, White Oak took home a win.

“Unbelievable. I’ve never had this feeling before,” Helms said. “It feels so good to overcome all the adversity we’ve had this season. With a new team, basically, and all the seniors leaving … we bring our school so much pride.”